I know a lot of people look down on posts like these, but I just need to vent to someone, somewhere.

All that I want is for this team to WANT TO WIN as badly as I do. All that I want is for this team to TRY as hard as I would if I were good enough to play for the Boston Bruins. All that I want is for these players to realize how privileged they are to be making millions of dollars playing a game they (supposedly) love for one of the most storied franchises in the sport.

So, why doesn't it even seem that way? Do these players and coaches not get it? No team is going to go 82-0-0, but they should play like they want to! Is the team so entangled in CJ's system that they are blind to their ineffectiveness?

When I think about it, the blame goes in almost every direction. Defensive breakouts have been terrible. Team speed has been nonexistent. Players are taking nights off left and right. Chara, while a rock on the defensive side, has turned the puck over too often. Seidenberg, aside from shot blocking, has looked especially lost. Recchi is good for Johnny-on-the-spot goals, but the guy is just too slow and really brings the Bruins pace down to a sputter when he is on the ice. Bergeron and Krejci have often looked listless (glimpses of greatness, but mostly pedestrian). If Horton turns over the puck by blindly turning into the slot and getting the puck knocked off his stick one more time, I might explode. I don't care what CJ tells him, Lucic needs to get off his high horse and throw some punches. I'd rather a one-legged Marchand play instead of Paille. I could go on and on...

And for as awful as they have been, TT and a mostly solid shutdown game have prevented the season from being lost. While a solid system is important, the start of this season has opened my eyes to the following: the players are much more concerned with how well they are playing the system than how well they are scoring the necessary goals to win games. Sometimes, you have to look at the situation, use your hockey sense, and take the puck to the net, even if it means you're not in the exact position you are supposed to be. Such restricting play has prevented players like Seguin, Wheeler, Horton, etc. from using the creativity on the ice to create chances.

CJ must have these guys living inside a glass jar, because even a complete moron would understand that if these guys give a solid effort, the fans will back them. Yet, still no effort. That says to me that they either do not care enough or they think they are a group of Nicklas Backstrom's who are just about to regain their touch and start sifting through opposing defenses. Disappointing...

And finally, it's time for CJ to stop being so calm and cool. In fact, his calmness is invigorating me (but clearly not his team). He should be up in arms after the showing so far this season. The team was playing better before Savard came back. Is that a joke? Regardless of his "game-conditioning", the addition of Savard to any lineup should not make it worse.

As a diehard fan of the Boston Bruins since the '94 season (I had just turned 8), it's been a very difficult ride, with constant disappointment at every turn. I'm not trying to take anything away from the fans who have been waiting since '72 - I can only assume I would have as much commitment and passion about the Bruins. But, since the mid-90s, the Bruins have fielded too many teams that have solid talent, but an overall lack of will to win.

So, I'll close this with how I started it. All that I want is for this team to try as hard as I would if I were fortunate enough to ever wear the spoked-B. Is that too much to ask?

You have had the misfortune of following this team through the worst stretch it has had since the years before the arrival of the chosen one - through the desperate, Homer Simpson-like attempt to cling to one-more-shot with the Bourque, Neely, Oates core by trading away anyone under 30 to about 15 years of awful drafting, to the false promise of the Allison years, and the more widely hyped false promise of the Thornton years. The first 20 years of this Cup drought were a piece of cake by comparison, even if they couldn't beat the Scabs.

Want it is a tricky thing for professional athletes. Want it is their job. It's practically an oxymoron. Want it is for the playoffs and the fear you're not going to make the playoffs. Right now, they're just not doing their jobs, and playing looks too much like work. Come March, we'll know if they really do want it, deep down.

Take heart that this is the closest thing to real hope we've had in a long time. They haven't had this much depth and youth at the same time since...'68? They had an infusion of youth in the mid-late '80s, but there was no second and third wave of talent.

the players are much more concerned with how well they are playing the system than how well they are scoring the necessary goals to win games. Sometimes, you have to look at the situation, use your hockey sense, and take the puck to the net, even if it means you're not in the exact position you are supposed to be. Such restricting play has prevented players like Seguin, Wheeler, Horton, etc. from using the creativity on the ice to create chances.

So, I'll close this with how I started it. All that I want is for this team to try as hard as I would if I were fortunate enough to ever wear the spoked-B. Is that too much to ask?Posted by BruinsGM24

I remember thinking man I really like this guy. Now look at him havent seen him try moves like that since his rookie season. My brother said to me and i think i am starting to agree with him that every since he had that one healthy scratch his rookie season he has looked afraid to try dekes, afraid to make a mistake. And when you play like that or a team plays like that your playing not to lose. when all along you got to play to win.

THIS:While a solid system is important, the start of this season has opened my eyes to the following: the players are much more concerned with how well they are playing the system than how well they are scoring the necessary goals to win games. Sometimes, you have to look at the situation, use your hockey sense, and take the puck to the net, even if it means you're not in the exact position you are supposed to be

AGREE 100%. The soul of hockey is improvisation. Systems are great and all, but you need to allow players to just play sometimes.

Honestly, my answer to you is human nature. These guys aren't machines nor are they any better (okay, physically, they are) than you and me. They know they've got guaranteed contracts and they know their team will most likely be in the playoffs. They also know that the Bruin fan base does not care about regular season results (we'd appreciate a deep cup run from an 8-seed more than a first round exit from a #1).

As a fan, this makes me upset, but humans are humans. If they stink in the playoffs, I will be the first to say blow it up, get rid of the vets we don't need, and hire a young coach. Until that happens, though, you've gotta defer to the pros.

I've been a fan since 1970. I would give anything to play for a original 6 franchise. Yes, we have depth but our franchise, our brand was built on "heart". These guys need a wakeup call. I'm too old now to play now but can we find a "neely" amongst this group to carry the team on his shoulders and say enough is enough....there's a spoked B on the uniform...play like you wanna be here for godsake.

Bookboy, the interesting thing is that of all the major sports, I think hockey is a situation where the will to win can overcome talent. If a team comes out and establishes a strong physical game with a decent forecheck against a team with superior talent, they can come out with the win. This seems especially true in the playoffs, but it is an artifact of establishing the physical game and the forecheck. I would actually say, considering how listless the team has looked since early November, 10-9-4 in their last 23 games isn't bad for playing a slow, unimaginative style for 75% of the time. I'd love to see what the team looks like if they reduced that to 25%.

A better question is why would they want it now. This team knows it is a good team capable of running off a good streak. They do not want to peak to early like 2008-2009. They know they have a coach who won't hold them accountable. They know they get the same pay no matter what their effort is. In short there is no reward for the player to give a full effort at this point in the season. If we had a coach who would hold players accountable and provide the players that are playing well with extra icetime and take ice time away from those who are not performing then and only then might things change.

Orrthebest, I see your point about peaking early but I'm not buying it. This team has the offensive talent (there I said it!) to be consistently good (see first 10 games). They are underachieving big time, likely due to the system but just as likely due to themselves (droughts, efforts, Paille, etc.). Anyway, it's not like the team is holding itself back now so that it can peak later (nor would that be advisable). I know about the late season rushes by Pittsburgh and Philly, but let's not mistake those anomalies as recipes for success.

However, I do agree that the ice time ratio needs to change. The point of rolling 4 lines is to have fresher skaters who can wear down opponents. Instead, it has seemed to have the opposite effect and slow things down. Reward the guys who are playing well and trying hard with key minutes. Sit down the guys who are clearly not getting it. Heck, I'd roll with 2 lines and an occassional recovery shift for a 3rd line the way these guys are playing.

dc-bruins-fan, I'm with you that success in the playoffs is really what matters. What concerns me the most is this team has been consistently inconsistent. Far too many games where they only showed up for 1 period. It's becoming the team's identity, and those are hard to shed sometimes...

dc-bruins-fan , I'm with you that success in the playoffs is really what matters. What concerns me the most is this team has been consistently inconsistent. Far too many games where they only showed up for 1 period. It's becoming the team's identity, and those are hard to shed sometimes...Posted by BruinsGM24

I hear you. When Savard went down to Cooke last year, (in all honesty) I turned to my girlfriend and said, "well, there goes the playoffs. They're f'ed."

They proved me wrong. This team has character. When their backs are against the wall, they show up more often than not-- yeah the 3-0 collapse is an easy counterexample...well done.

If anyone wants to debate whether guys like Recchi, Bergeron, Lucic, Chara, Stuart, Thomas, Seidenberg, McQuaid, Thornton, and Krejci have the required character to win a cup (that's 45% of our team), I'd be happy to have that debate.

FACT: Claude Julien was fired in NJ for the doing the exact same things he's doing now. The signs have been evident since midway thru the 08-09 season. This is what he did before he got here, and he's doing it again. This is what he does...it's not like all this is something new. What is so hard to understand ? This man has taken two of the most physically intimidating players in the league, (which should be an enormous positive for this team) and turned them into unemotional robots. What's that ? a coinidence ? Or is it an obvious symptom of a much greater problem ? This ain't that complicated -

FACT: Claude Julien was fired in NJ for the doing the exact same thing he did while he was there. The signs have been evident since midway thru the 08-09 season. This is what he did before he got here, and he's doing it again. This is what he does...it's not like all this is something new. What is so hard to understand ? This man has taken two of the most physically intimidating players in the league, (which should be an enormous positive for this team) and turned them into unemotional robots. What's that ? a coinidence ? Or is it an obvious symptom of a much greater problem ? This ain't that complicated -Posted by JWensink

I'm not against firing CJ but that NJ firing was crap.I'd read more into it had they not been ousted in the 1st round with Lamerillo firing them up behind the bench.explain to me what happenned in NJ after CJ was let go.Certainly not any success.

A little bit of truth in all these posts, but at the risk of drawing ire from--well, everyone...my main overall answer to the original poster's question is:

They DO want it, they're just not good enough to get it.

(I realize this angers many of you who see this team as loaded with talent and ready to pounce IF they can JUST...what? Fire Claude? OK--yeah, he SHOU:D be fired at this point...but do you honestly believe that that will suddenly make this team WANT it more AND translate to success on-ice?)

Look, these guys are pros, and even if some nights they're tired and hurt from previous games, no one WANTS to lose...no one WANTS to hear the boo birds at the end of another humiliating 3-0 loss....they ARE trying....but the fact is, they don't have the horses needed to win consistently, and that LOOKS like lack of effort.

My view: It's not. It's a combination of a thin talent roster combined with an overly-cautious coach who keeps demanding they play a "system" that often does work, but only when it minimizes the mistakes of a team that would otherwise be exposed (and often is anyway) for being slow and immobile in its own end, and woefully ineffective on offense due to lack of size, speed and creative talent. (The Horton/Krejci/Lucic line has size and talent, but little speed....Seguin is still learning the game, Savard is still recovering, and after that--come on: what do we REALLY expect we're going to get at this point from the liokes of Ryder, Wheeler, Paille and the ever-rapidly aging Recchi?)

Marchand has added some zip and grit but he's still a rookie...Caron, same thing...this team is simply not ready for Prime Time, and that's what we're seeing. They're trying. They're just not good enough.

(Commence with the slings and arrows of outrage if you must. I AM a fan. I'm just trying to see through eyes of an objective observer when it comes to assessing what's wrong with this edition of the Black and Gold)

In Response to Re: Why Don't They Want It? : I'm not against firing CJ but that NJ firing was crap.I'd read more into it had they not been ousted in the 1st round with Lamerillo firing them up behind the bench.explain to me what happenned in NJ after CJ was let go.Certainly not any success.Posted by dezaruchi

These are some quotes from when CJ was fired in NJ, and one from MTL.Draw your own conclusions -

"Although the N.H.L. put in several rule changes to stimulate more scoring, the Devils cling to an effective, defense-first style of play. Lamoriello hinted that he was not pleased that the Devils had scored only 209 goals, by far the fewest of the top eight Eastern Conference"

"this may be the most significant sign of all, the team simply was not playing with the vim, vigor and vitality needed to do well in the post-season..."

" I noticed last year, there was a lot better unity with the guys. We were backing each other up."

”"Make no mistake, even though Lou has been spending a lot of cash on his offensive talent since the lockout, the Devils continue to be a prototype of a defense-oriented hockey club. And the fact that Julien was fired by the Devils for emphasizing defense too much and neglecting the offense, then it is pretty safe to say that Julien may be a little too extreme in his defensive style of coaching. That was a criticism that was leveled at his coaching for the majority of this season, as the Devils seemed to play conservatively to a fault in countless games."

"It's normal for a player to go through periods where they're not at their best, but when it goes on for a month or more, it's not normal." "A team can't function unless its key players give their maximum."

In Response to Re: Why Don't They Want It? : These are some quotes from when CJ was fired in NJ, and one from MTL. Draw your own conclusions - "Although the N.H.L. put in several rule changes to stimulate more scoring, the Devils cling to an effective, defense-first style of play. Lamoriello hinted that he was not pleased that the Devils had scored only 209 goals, by far the fewest of the top eight Eastern Conference" "this may be the most significant sign of all, the team simply was not playing with the vim, vigor and vitality needed to do well in the post-season..." " I noticed last year, there was a lot better unity with the guys. We were backing each other up." ” "Make no mistake, even though Lou has been spending a lot of cash on his offensive talent since the lockout, the Devils continue to be a prototype of a defense-oriented hockey club. And the fact that Julien was fired by the Devils for emphasizing defense too much and neglecting the offense, then it is pretty safe to say that Julien may be a little too extreme in his defensive style of coaching. That was a criticism that was leveled at his coaching for the majority of this season, as the Devils seemed to play conservatively to a fault in countless games." "It's normal for a player to go through periods where they're not at their best, but when it goes on for a month or more, it's not normal." "A team can't function unless its key players give their maximum."Posted by JWensink

Who are these quotes from?if it's Lou L then it means nothing to me.He's overrated as a GM and and they've done nothing positive since the CJ firing.I can put quotation marks around anything.It won't make any more or less true.Is it still CJ's fault that NJ is awful?

TryToBearIt, you bring up a lot of good points. However, I'd really like to hear your thoughts on the first 9 games of the season. To me, that was exactly how the Bruins should play every single night. But, then, mid-November... POOF... gone. So, it's not that they can't play really well, or aren't physically/mentally capable of doing it. Even during this tough stretch, the Bruins have usually put together 1 good period per game. And, man, when they have it going, they look really good. Inconsistent? Absolutely. Not good enough? I'm not buying it.

To me, this is more an issue of confidence and/or too much allegiance to the system than it is lack of talent.

TryToBearIt , you bring up a lot of good points. However, I'd really like to hear your thoughts on the first 9 games of the season. To me, that was exactly how the Bruins should play every single night. But, then, mid-November... POOF... gone. So, it's not that they can't play really well, or aren't physically/mentally capable of doing it. Even during this tough stretch, the Bruins have usually put together 1 good period per game. And, man, when they have it going, they look really good. Inconsistent? Absolutely. Not good enough? I'm not buying it. To me, this is more an issue of confidence and/or too much allegiance to the system than it is lack of talent.Posted by BruinsGM24

Well, I'm glad you brought up the first 9 games of the season. If you look at the early going in the league, two teams at the top of the heap were the Islanders and the Maple Leafs.

That indicates to me that the beginning of the season is a feeling out process in which the talent hasn;'t really established itself yet and even lousy teams can chalk up some early wins. I believe the Bruins--while not "lousy"--were one of the teams benefitting from the "just out of the gate" parity that allowed a lot of not so great to mediocre teams to entice fans w/what could be.

I'm not trying to run down the B's. I desperately want them to win and have been waiting for a Cup --like many of us--since 1972, when I was too young to really "get it."

But I believe in what the late Will McDonogh said about all pro teams: "Shwo me the team w/the best talent and I'll take that team every time". That's not ALWAYS the case, but 90% of the time it is, and I believe the 8th place Bruins we're seeing now are just that--an 8th place team.

We all look so closely at the bruins players we don't take time to really assess the other talent around the league. That Flyers team is loaded with just the right amount of skill, size, toughness, speed, talent and youth/veteran leadership...the Habs are loaded w/speed....the Pens--pure talent that can score on multiple levels...the Caps? Well, I can't really explain that 7-game skid, I guess, but fact is, they racked up so many wins b4 that (based on talent) that it hard;y mattered and you know they'll be there in the post season..

Do you honestly believe these current Bruins can beat any of thsoe teams in a 7 game series if they just "want it" more?

The only time wanting it more maybe makes a diff. is in a game 7 when all else is equal and it's all on the line for both teams, which have shown they're about equal talent wise for having split the first 6 games.

I know a lot of people look down on posts like these, but I just need to vent to someone, somewhere. All that I want is for this team to WANT TO WIN as badly as I do. All that I want is for this team to TRY as hard as I would if I were good enough to play for the Boston Bruins. All that I want is for these players to realize how privileged they are to be making millions of dollars playing a game they (supposedly) love for one of the most storied franchises in the sport. So, why doesn't it even seem that way? Do these players and coaches not get it? No team is going to go 82-0-0, but they should play like they want to! Is the team so entangled in CJ's system that they are blind to their ineffectiveness? When I think about it, the blame goes in almost every direction. Defensive breakouts have been terrible. Team speed has been nonexistent. Players are taking nights off left and right. Chara, while a rock on the defensive side, has turned the puck over too often. Seidenberg, aside from shot blocking, has looked especially lost. Recchi is good for Johnny-on-the-spot goals, but the guy is just too slow and really brings the Bruins pace down to a sputter when he is on the ice. Bergeron and Krejci have often looked listless (glimpses of greatness, but mostly pedestrian). If Horton turns over the puck by blindly turning into the slot and getting the puck knocked off his stick one more time, I might explode. I don't care what CJ tells him, Lucic needs to get off his high horse and throw some punches. I'd rather a one-legged Marchand play instead of Paille. I could go on and on... And for as awful as they have been, TT and a mostly solid shutdown game have prevented the season from being lost. While a solid system is important, the start of this season has opened my eyes to the following: the players are much more concerned with how well they are playing the system than how well they are scoring the necessary goals to win games. Sometimes, you have to look at the situation, use your hockey sense, and take the puck to the net, even if it means you're not in the exact position you are supposed to be. Such restricting play has prevented players like Seguin, Wheeler, Horton, etc. from using the creativity on the ice to create chances. CJ must have these guys living inside a glass jar, because even a complete moron would understand that if these guys give a solid effort, the fans will back them. Yet, still no effort. That says to me that they either do not care enough or they think they are a group of Nicklas Backstrom's who are just about to regain their touch and start sifting through opposing defenses. Disappointing... And finally, it's time for CJ to stop being so calm and cool. In fact, his calmness is invigorating me (but clearly not his team). He should be up in arms after the showing so far this season. The team was playing better before Savard came back. Is that a joke? Regardless of his "game-conditioning", the addition of Savard to any lineup should not make it worse. As a diehard fan of the Boston Bruins since the '94 season (I had just turned 8), it's been a very difficult ride, with constant disappointment at every turn. I'm not trying to take anything away from the fans who have been waiting since '72 - I can only assume I would have as much commitment and passion about the Bruins. But, since the mid-90s, the Bruins have fielded too many teams that have solid talent, but an overall lack of will to win. So, I'll close this with how I started it. All that I want is for this team to try as hard as I would if I were fortunate enough to ever wear the spoked-B. Is that too much to ask?Posted by BruinsGM24

In Response to Re: Why Don't They Want It? : Who are these quotes from?if it's Lou L then it means nothing to me.He's overrated as a GM and and they've done nothing positive since the CJ firing.I can put quotation marks around anything.It won't make any more or less true.Is it still CJ's fault that NJ is awful?Posted by dezaruchi

Lou fires CJ near the end of the season when they are at the top of the standings. You must not question what Lou does because he has won cups . He's a genius !

Now to the present . John Maclean hired as the coach of the Devils and they are thought to be one of the favourites this year after signing Kovalchuk. Except ..........they totally stink and are near the bottom of the standings. Lou keeps his coach. But , you must not question Lou because he has won cups. He's a genius !

Glen Sather has done nothing for the NYR's as their GM and he has had a million coaches. You must not questi..................... ah, never mind. I'm starting to sound repetitive.